


Love Song Road Trip

by StarflakeBurning



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Beach Vacation, Canon Divergence, Case Fic, DeanCas - Freeform, Destiel - Freeform, Fluff, Love songs, M/M, Road Trip, Songfic, cute fluffy road trip to florida, what else could you want
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-23
Updated: 2021-01-06
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:42:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25471819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarflakeBurning/pseuds/StarflakeBurning
Summary: When a case comes up in Florida, Dean is quick to jump on the opportunity for a road trip. And Cas is all to ready to join him. But it seems like, no matter what they do, they can’t escape the sappy love songs, with lyrics that seem to be reading their minds. And when they finally arrive, they find out just what mysterious force is behind the music.
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester
Comments: 4
Kudos: 61





	1. Shifty eyes and indecisions

**Author's Note:**

> This is my self-indulgent fluffy fic! Also my opportunity to recommend a bunch of good songs. Enjoy!  
> Instagram and Tumblr: @starflake_burning

For almost a week now, the bunker had been quiet and still, a cold tension in the air. It started when Jack got his soul back and completely melted down. Dean wasn’t ready to give his sincere forgiveness, and now the poor kid refused to leave his room, deep in a depressive slump. 

The residents of the bunker tiptoed around each other, afraid to discuss the incident. Sam had been dutifully reorganizing the library, burying himself in the huge project. Meanwhile Cas took it upon himself to take care of Jack as best as he could, bringing him meals and talking to him. But Jack hadn’t said a single word since his breakdown began. 

And Dean, well Dean had left the bunker. For the whole week he hadn’t answered his phone, and no one knew where he was. They had guesses of course. Maybe he was drinking himself to death. Maybe he was feverishly hunting down monsters. But none of them could fathom what he was actually doing. 

On the first day he was gone, Dean drove with storm clouds in his head. The emotions were so mixed that he couldn't tell one from the other. All he knew was that he could barely drive through the tears. Finally, he pulled over the the side of the road and stopped. And he let himself weep.

He cried out of grief, guilt, and anger, and for the sick and twisted world that had brought him to this moment. It was all so cruel and wrong, and almost definitely Chuck’s fault. Eventually, he cried himself out. He was struck by a sudden clarity. Dean realized that what he would usually do to cope wouldn’t work this time. It had never really helped, but this time he made the decision to try something different. 

Dean drove to the nearest library. He found a stack of books on working through grief. and sat down right then and there to read them. Now, Dean had never been much of a reader, unless he was researching for a case. But, if he treated his problems like a case, maybe he could work through them. Sure, reading alone doesn’t fix anything. But Dean knew how to read and use the information for an attack plan. Only this time, the attack plan was on his own patterns of thinking and behaving. 

When the library closed and he was kicked out, he found that going back to the bunker was simply too daunting a task. So Dean camped out in his car. For the next few days he avoided going home. He drove up and down, thinking over all that he had read. But most of all he was beginning to think of what to say to Jack. 

He didn’t blame the kid, he really didn’t. If anything, he was more mad at Chuck for putting them all in this awful situation. But he had to tell Jack that, and that was the hard part. 

In a fit of procrastination, Dean began to search for a case. He was hoping for something as far away from home as possible, but still within reasonable driving distance. Whatever he found would hopefully justify disappearing for another week, or maybe even two. Guilt had been eating away at him ever since he shut off his phone, and if he was going to turn it back on, a case would make a great explanation. 

He had his laptop set up at a diner, connected to the free WiFi. He had a cup of coffee growing cold beside it, much too focused to sip it. Too many tabs were open on his computer, checking news outlets and anything that had the smallest chance of working out. 

One tab was a Facebook group devoted to supposed firsthand accounts of paranormal happenings. Sure it wasn’t the most reliable source, but at this point Dean would take anything. Miraculously, it was the first source to get a notification. He clicked on it and scanned the page idly. 

It was someone from Florida. They claimed to be a volunteer at a campsite who gave guests tours of the on site nature museum. Apparently, when they were locking up one night, they saw something spooky in the woods. It was described as ‘way too quiet to be a wild boar, but way too big to be anything else.’ 

It was very vague, and it was probably nothing of consequence. Nobody had died or gone missing. There was absolutely nothing to indicate the cause was supernatural at all. But Dean’s eyes were locked on one word,  _ Florida _ . 

His imagination had no trouble conjuring images of sandy beaches, warm weather, and hot girls in swimsuits. He didn’t even realize he was staring off into space dreamily until a waitress walking by gave him a funny look. 

Dean shook his head, snapping out of his trance. But his mind was made up, a beach vacation would be the perfect excuse to be alone for a week or two. Plus, it would give him time to think over what to say to Jack. 

So he closed the rest of the tabs, noted down where in Florida the campsite was, and pulled out his phone. He powered it up, and instantly felt a sting of guilt. 25 texts from Cas, and only three from Sam. He quickly looked through them. 

The messages from Sam had all been sent the first day he left, asking where he was and when he was coming back. Whereas Cas had messaged him three or four times every day he was gone. The messages ranged from: “Good morning.” and “Are you okay?” to “Get your ass back here and talk to Jack before I track you down and drag you back myself”

He winced at that last one. Clearly, his plan to leave a message saying he was going on a hunt then disappearing wasn’t going to work. So Dean wrote out a long message to Cas. It read: 

_ Hey Cas. Yes I’m fine. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking, and I don’t think I'm ready to talk to Jack yet. I need some more time to work things out in my head. I found a case in Florida, a really simple one, so I’m gonna go check it out. Tell Sam not to worry. I’ll see you both in a week.  _

Back at the bunker, Cas read the message from Dean over and over again. Of course he didn’t _want_ to come back yet, but he definitely _needed_ to. More worryingly, however, was Dean going on a hunt alone. That seemed like a recipe for disaster. So Cas came up with a plan of his own. 

First, he showed the message to Sam. 

“Wow. He’s just going to run off across the country for a week? I don’t know what I expected, but…” Sam leaned against the table in the library, which was stacked with books he was sorting. “Well, I guess I hoped he’d learned his lesson about running away.” 

Cas nodded. “We can’t exactly force that lesson though. Dean needs to figure it out in his own time. But for now, I’m going with him.” 

“What?” Sam looked confused. 

“I’m joining Dean on this hunt, whether he wants me or not. Its too dangerous for him to go alone.”

“Then why shouldn’t I go with him?” Sam fired back. 

“No offense Sam, but I think I can get through to him easier.” Cas shrugged, he hadn’t really thought of a reason, he just knew he had to protect Dean. 

Sam smirked a little too knowingly. “Right, I get it.” 

Cas shuffled uncomfortably. “What do you mean?” 

“Nothing.” Sam shook his head slowly and turned back to his books. “Go find Dean, I’ll take care of Jack.” 

Cas nodded. “Thank you for understanding.” he began to stride out of the room when Sam called out to him. 

“And enjoy your seaside vacation!” He chuckled to himself, before turning away again. Cas paused at the door, a bit confused, but quickly shook it off. 

He replied to Dean’s text:  _ Where are you now?  _

Dean:  _ Rosie’s Diner.  _

Cas:  _ Stay there. I’m joining you. _

Dean:  _ What? I said I needed time to think.  _

Cas:  _ Going on a hunt alone is dangerous. _

Dean:  _ I’ll be fine, _

Cas:  _ Stay. There.  _

Dean dropped his phone onto the diner table and stared at it. He knew there was nothing he could do to change Cas’s mind. But the thought of facing him after running away was unbearable. He packed up his laptop anyway, waiting where he was for Cas. 

He stared off into space and listened to the music coming from the diner’s radio. It was tuned to some pop station, and a song he had never heard before was playing. Bored, he listened to the lyrics through the tinny speakers, zoning out. 

_ Three words, two hearts, one maybe _

_ Say something before I go crazy now _

The bell above the door rang, and Cas walked in. “Hello Dean.” 

_ Oh fuck,  _ Dean thought. All the emotions he thought he had worked through bubbled back up. Tears once again pricked at his eyes, and he swallowed them back, waving Cas over to his table. The song on the radio kept playing, and he nearly laughed at the next lyrics. 

_ And my tears, your tears don't faze me _

_ Say something before I go crazy now _

Cas sat down and immediately squinted at Dean, concerned. Dean cleared his throat, turning away for a moment to brush away any tears that had managed to escape. 

“Hi Cas. So uhh, we should probably get going.” Dean resigned himself to not arguing about it, no matter how much Cas’s mere presence shook him. Cas nodded, still with that concerned expression. 

The pair walked out of the diner, and Dean felt a strange pang of loneliness when Cas didn’t stand as uncomfortably close as he usually did. Clearly he was still concerned that Dean would turn him away, insisting that he go alone. 

Strangely, when they drove off, Dean didn’t mind having Cas along for the ride. It actually felt kind of nice to have someone worrying about him. Even though it wasn’t the first time Cas had been concerned for his safety, he had assumed that the angel would side with Jack, and be mad at him for running off. 

But it seemed that, at least for the moment, Cas was willing to put it aside. In fact, he didn’t even try to talk to Dean at all, not even to ask what the case was about. That suited Dean just fine, and he was quick to turn his music on. 

With an ugly clunking sound, the cassette player broke. Barely minutes into their drive, and Dean had to pull over and try to fix it. No luck. 

“It’s fine, Dean. We can get it fixed at the next town over.” Cas said calmly, after Dean had stopped cursing. 

“Alright. I guess I’ll have to survive on the radio alone.” Dean replied, slamming the driver side door as he climbed back in. 

When he switched the radio on, it was somehow tuned to that same pop station that had been on at the diner. Even though he didn’t like that kind of music, Dean was curious how the song he had been listening to ended. Cas didn’t seem to mind, staring out the window. 

_ Won't somebody hold me and tell me _

_ It'll all work out _

_ Say that there's nothing _

_ To worry about now _

_ 'Cause I'm so sick of the drama _

_ And I hate to shout _

_ But you drag it out of me _

Yep, it was just a cheesy, catchy pop song. But he couldn’t help glancing over at Cas as the chorus came back. 

_ Three words, two hearts, one maybe _

_ Say something before I go crazy now _

If only it were that simple. But three words couldn’t bridge the gap, or rather, the canyon Dean had carved between him and Cas. He told himself it was to keep him safe, after all anyone he got close to suffered and died. 

But in the back of his mind, he held out some hope that when Chuck was defeated once and for all, they could work something out. Some days, it did feel like he would lose his mind if he didn’t say anything. But he couldn’t put Cas in danger, and getting too close would do just that. 

While Dean wrestled with his thoughts. Cas too was listening to the song. 

_ It's only a matter of time, a matter of time, a matter of time _

He had waited for decades, resigned to the sidelines. Humans were so complicated, but Dean was the most confusing one he had ever met. Some days, it seemed like he was ready, but then the end of the world happened again, and Cas lost him to the chaos of the aftermath. Would it ever be the right time? Angels were supposed to have infinite patience, but Cas’s was wearing thin. 

It was even worse considering that his grace was starting to waver again. With every passing day, those damn human emotions grew stronger. 

_ It's only a matter of time, a matter of time, a matter of time _

Eventually, he wouldn’t be able to hold back any longer, for better or for worse. 

The song finished, and Dean changed the station, turning up the volume to drown out his thoughts. 


	2. Caffeine, small talk.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day one of their road trip makes dean question if Cas is ok.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A short chapter this time, but a sweet one.

Dean was a planner through and through. So as the hours ticked by on the road, he was mentally adding up the stops they would need to make. It was at least a three day trip, which meant three motel stays, and even more stops for food. But he frowned as he remembered that sleep and food were the two things that Cas didn’t need. 

What would Cas do at these stops? Things were still too tense for idle conversation. Maybe he would just stare awkwardly, like he always does. But what about nighttime? Dean was sure he wouldn’t be able to sleep with Cas staring at him. 

So with those revelations in mind, Dean glanced over to the passenger seat, ready to ask Cas what he thought. But the words dried up when he realized that his travel companion was asleep. 

Cas had propped his elbow up on the windowsill, with his head resting in his hand. Dean could see via the side mirror that he was fast asleep. Dean quickly looked back at the road, not letting his initial shock cause him to swerve. He took a deep breath, letting it out in a long sigh. 

“I guess that settles that.” he murmured to himself. But he still snuck a few more glances at Cas’s face. The angel was normally so serious looking, but now he seemed almost peaceful. Dean turned down the volume on the radio, and resolved to stop at the next town they passed through. The sun was setting, and he decided that an early end to day one would make up for an extra early start the next morning. 

It was dark by the time Dean reached the next town. The slow rhythm of Cas’s sleeping breaths was beginning to make him yawn and his eyelids began to drift downwards. He pulled up to a friendly looking restaurant with a sign out front announcing it was a family business. He smiled a little at the hand-painted lettering, thinking of his dad’s old saying about saving people and hunting things. 

At any rate, the place was open, and Dean was hungry. He stopped the car and turned to wake up Cas. He hesitated for a couple seconds. This was the longest he’d gotten to stare unabashedly at the angel. Down in the deepest, darkest corner of his secret heart, Dean felt a little flutter. His traitorous imagination conjured up the image of a prince kissing a princess awake, and he felt his face grow warm. 

He shook his head hard, banishing the thought. Quickly, before he changed his mind, Dean leaned over to shake Cas’s shoulder. But he slipped, his other hand falling from the steering wheel and hitting the volume knob on the radio. It was an impossibly clumsy move, and the sound came blaring out, waking Cas in an instant. 

_ Better to leave it unsaid _

_ Why can't I leave it unsaid? _

Dean fumbled for the knob, muting the volume. But the damage was done, Cas was awake. 

“Why have we stopped?” He asked, looking just a little bit embarrassed. 

“Dinner time. And then I’ll find a motel. I figured it would be an early morning tomorrow.” Dean gestured towards the restaurant, “C’mon sleepyhead, I promise you’ll get to rest more later.” 

Cas’s signature frown returned at his teasing tone, but he chose not to elaborate on why he was so tired all of a sudden. Dean didn’t need to know the details of his slowly fading grace. Though if he was willing to admit it, he could also admit that he felt quite hungry as well. 

The little restaurant was a charming place, with large framed pictures lining the wall. They all seemed to be family portraits, forming a timeline throughout the generations. A waitress who couldn’t have been more than fifteen seated them at a booth and took Dean’s order. She didn’t seem fazed at the sight of customers so late to the usual dinner rush. 

She also seemed to be the only waitress on duty, and by the sounds coming from the kitchen, there were only two cooks currently working. After she had taken his order back to said cooks, she poked her head back out of the kitchen. 

“You don’t mind if I switch on the radio? It gets spooky in here without it.” 

“Sure thing, miss.” Dean replied with a cheerful smile. Seconds later, that same song that had woken Cas up began to pipe from the speakers. Strange coincidence, but Dean shook it off. 

Cas stared off into space, tired and hungry and completely unwilling to open up about either. Dean simply tapped his fingers to the beat of that damn song. 

_ You know I talk too much _

_ Honey, come put your lips on mine and shut me up _

He felt his heart skip a beat. It was just some stupid song, but the words reminded him of his less-than-plantonic thought from earlier. But he wasn’t talking right now, and that small reassurance quelled his panic for the moment. 

The teenage waitress brought out his burger and fries, and Dean was glad for the break from the awkwardness. He was halfway through the burger when he noticed Cas staring at his plate. Dean caught his hungry expression, and watched as he surreptitiously licked his lips. Dean squashed down his amused smile and faked a cough. Cas looked up quickly, meeting his eyes. 

“I don’t think I’ll be able to finish all of this. You sure you don’t want some?” He gently pushed the plate towards Cas. 

“I guess I could stand to eat a little bit.” Cas was a terrible liar, even if he claimed otherwise. But he kept up the act, delicately eating the fries one at a time. 

Dean finished up his burger, and slipped out his phone to search for a motel nearby. Cas, seeing that he was distracted, wolfed down the rest of the fries. 

_ Blah blah, green eyes _

_ I never leave it unsaid _

Cas had to leave it unsaid. Saying it out loud would ruin everything. But he did have such pretty eyes. When Dean looked back up from his phone, Cas hesitantly dropped his gaze. 

“I found a place, but almost all of the rooms are booked up. Let’s go.” Dean said. 

“I assume we only need one room?” Cas replied. 

“Depends on if we can find one with two beds.” Dean explained. He let that smirk creep back onto his face, “Seeing as you suddenly need sleep.” 

“Anyone would need sleep after dealing with you all day.” Cas snapped back. 

They were standing now, and Dean hadn’t lost his teasing grin. He could tell that Cas wasn’t really angry, just annoyed. Temptation told him to take a step forward, daring Cas to make a move, but instead he tipped his head towards the door, “Let’s go.” 

The music chased them out. 

_ We could blame it all on human nature _

_ Stay cool, it's just a kiss _

_ Oh, why you gotta be so talkative? _

_ I talk too much, we talk too much _

…

The motel had one room left when they got there. 

“Really? This isn’t some hot tourist destination, no offense.” Dean said to the front desk worker. 

“Sorry sir. We had a huge roof leak, and half the rooms got soaked. Plus some big company is having a conference in the next city over and their people were told to choose the cheapest accommodations in the area.” They shrugged, “What can I say? You either want the room or not.” 

“We’ll take it. Tell me it at least has two twin beds.” 

They consulted their computer. “Nope, it's a single queen. Sorry” 

“Just give me the key.” Dean said with a sigh. 

Cas, who had been standing off to the side, looked like he was going to reassure Dean, but he stopped him. “We’ll make it work.” 

There’s a particular brand of awkwardness that comes with the restricted space of a tiny motel room. Cas sat on one side of the bed, trying to stay out of Dean’s way. Dean wordlessly unpacked, and headed to the bathroom to change, avoiding eye contact.

While he was gone, Cas stood and removed his trench coat and jacket. He draped them on the back of a chair along with his tie. He was determined to only undress until he was comfortable enough to sleep, so his belt and shoes were the last items to go. 

When Dean returned, Cas was already tucked in, facing the wall. He gingerly joined him, sticking as close to the edge as possible. He switched off the lamp. The two lay in silence, both profoundly awake. 

The words of that same song pushed at the edge of Cas’s memory. 

_ Silence is golden, and you've got my hopes up _

He turned the thought over in his mind. 

_ No hesitation, what are we waiting for? _

If only real life were so simple. If only he could reach across the chasm that was less than a foot of empty mattress space. He listened as Dean’s breathing grew slower, until he finally fell asleep. 

Cas lay awake for a while longer. Finally, he gave into temptation and turned over onto his other side, facing Dean’s back. He took a deep breath of the stale motel air, tinted ever so slightly with the smell of that laundry detergent they used at the bunker. To Cas, that was the scent of home, and it carried him off to sleep. 

_ We could blame it all on human nature... _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song used: Talk Too Much by COIN


	3. Let Me Show You What You’re Missin’

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean and Cas get slushies. 
> 
> Song: Squeez, by Shawn Wasabi

The warm scent of coffee wormed its way into Cas’s subconscious, and he woke up to see that Dean had already gone out and gotten them breakfast. Dean smiled when he saw that Cas was awake, and held out one of the steaming paper cups of coffee. Cas rubbed at his eyes, groggier than he’d felt in a long time. He took the coffee and hunched over it, still only half awake. 

Dean sat down next to him, and presented the other half of his haul, two breakfast sandwiches. They ate silently, the awkwardness of the night before making a return. Neither knew what to say, so they silently packed up and left. The cloud of awkwardness followed them back to the car. Luckily, Dean’s cassette player was miraculously working again. He tried to cut through the strange silence by blasting some classic rock, yelling along to the lyrics. Cas opted for staring blankly out the window. 

The further south they drove, the hotter the weather became. Dean tried blasting the AC, but he eventually admitted defeat and shed a few layers of clothes. To his surprise, Cas followed suit, tossing his trench coat and suit jacket onto the backseat. He even removed his tie. Dean had to act fast to repress the thoughts that came with that last detail. He was trying his best not to make this trip any more awkward. 

When they stopped to refill the gas tank, Cas finally broke the silence. Holding out his phone he said, “I think I’ve found our next stop.” 

Dean frowned down at the screen. “Some sort of diner?” 

“Yes, but you see, they have waitresses on roller skates that serve you in your car.”

“Oh so like a vintage throwback sort of scene?” Dean took the phone from him and scrolled through the restaurant’s menu. “And they also serve slushies along with milk shakes! Perfect, this southern heat was starting to get to me.” 

“I’ve never actually had a slushie” Cas admitted. 

“Wait and see, you’re gonna love it.” 

“If you say so.” Cas sighed and unbuttoned his cuffs, rolling the sleeves of his dress shirt up past his elbows. “I too am feeling quite hot.”

“No kidding.” Dean mumbled, looking red. 

“What was that?” Cas said. 

“Um, I was just reading the address. It’s a couple miles from here, we should get going.” 

The little diner was like a beacon shining through the baking hot desert. Its chrome details and mint paint stuck out against the orange ground and faded green plants. The sleek Impala fit right in with the vintage theme as Dean pulled it into a parking spot with a sign that read, ‘Park Here for Outdoor Service’. 

Within minutes, someone was roller skating up to the driver’s side window. Dean cranked it down to reveal not a waitress, but a waiter. He gripped a tiny notebook in one hand and a pen in the other, and he was wearing a skirt. That last part threw Dean off for a second, he had an order in mind, but now he was blanking. 

“Would you like a menu?” asked the waiter, indicating a stack of menus he had in his pocket. 

“Er, no thank you, I looked it up online.” Dean replied awkwardly. 

Noticing his stare, the waiter grinned. “It’s the skirt right? Well in case you haven’t noticed, we’re in the middle of the desert. And the men’s uniform here requires us to wear pants. I’d rather not die of heat stroke, so my alternative is this.” He gave a little twirl, expertly balancing on the roller skates. 

“That’s quite a clever solution.” Cas commented. 

“Thank you. Now, what can I get started for you today?” 

“Two large slushies please, cherry and raspberry.” Dean said. 

“Coming right up.” He scribbled down the order and rolled away. 

Dean let out a long sigh and cranked the window back up. 

“That was interesting.” Cas said, clearly trying to avoid another round of silence. 

“Yeah, I didn’t mean to stare, that was a dick move.” 

Cas shrugged. “He didn’t seem too bothered.” 

“I guess. He was pretty nice about it.” Dean wasn’t going to voice the fact that the man had also looked incredibly attractive in a skirt. Nor the fact that he was now imagining what Cas would look like in one. 

Sensing his discomfort, Cas reached for the radio. “Let’s listen to something while we wait.”

“You didn’t like my music?” 

“No offense but it does get repetitive after a few hours.” Cas tuned the radio until he found something that sounded like the exact opposite of Dean’s classic rock. The bubbly, poppy song was refreshing to say the least. Dean feigned disgust, but truth be told, he was getting tired of his music too. 

_ You’ve been looking kinda thirsty _

_ If you want it I can shake it _

_ I can stir it _

_ I could pour you some _

Another love song? The lyrics went by so fast that Dean couldn’t really tell. Oh well. He chose to tune it out. But when he glanced at Cas, the angel seemed to actually be enjoying the song. His head bopped ever so slightly to the beat, and his fingers tapped against the windowsill. 

_ Can we date _

_ 'Til it rains _

_ Ginger ale _

_ I can't wait _

_ 'Til you taste _

_ My champagne _

Those lyrics were sung much slower. Yep, it was a love song, one with weird metaphors. Weirdly suggestive metaphors. Dean shook his head slightly, banishing the thoughts that threatened to emerge. 

Soon, the waiter returned with their slushies, and Dean was able to focus on slurping up the icy red goodness as fast as possible, while also avoiding brain freeze. Cas wasn’t so lucky. 

“Oh, ow!” He said, pressing a hand to his forehead. 

“Don’t go too fast.” Dean warned him, even though it was too late. Cas gave him an indignant look. 

In the background the song continued. 

_ Squeeze _

_ 'Til you pop pop pop pop _

_ Get your drippin' lime and lemon _

_ Squeeze _

_ 'Til you pop pop pop pop _

_ Let me show you what you're missin' _

_ Squeeze _

The metaphors had somehow gotten even more suggestive. Dean quickly turned off the radio. After all, they weren’t waiting to be served anymore. Cas was annoyed though. 

“Tired of it already?” He asked. But Dean burst out laughing. Cas’s tongue was bright blue. “What?” Cas asked, looking confused. 

Wheezing, Dean pulled up the camera app on his phone and flipped it around to give Cas a mirror. “L-look at your tongue.” he choked out between giggles. 

Cas dutifully stuck out his tongue, and Dean laughed even harder. “It’s not that funny.” Cas said. 

“An all powerful angel getting a blue tongue from a slushie? That’s pretty funny.” Dean said, calming down a little. 

Cas scoffed. “I assume that since yours was cherry flavored, the red would just blend in with your tongue?” 

Dean checked his tongue in the phone camera. “Yep, I’m all good. But can you do that again? I want to send a picture to Sam.” 

Cas sighed. “Anything for you, Dean.” 

Dean felt the laughter drain out of him at Cas’s sincere tone. For a moment their years of complicated history had completely left his mind. He solemnly took the photo and sent it. “We should get going.” he said quietly. 

“Of course.” Cas replied. 

_ Pop pop pop pop  _


	4. Put Your Wings On Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two more motel/hotel stops and some ~healthy communication~
> 
> also swim trunks puns.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Recap: Last chapter they left the first motel and got some slushies.

The second time they stopped for the night, Cas was determined to keep the mood up. Dean had called ahead to book their room (Two beds this time, so at least something was going right), and Cas offered to carry both of their bags. Dean, tired as he was, didn’t protest. In fact, when they had settled in a bit he gave a loud yawn and said, “Y’know Cas, it’s been a long day. I’m turning in early.” 

“I agree, we should get some rest.” Cas delta twinge of heartache at the distance now between them. But he shook it off. Dean would never reciprocate his feelings, there was no use agonizing over it. 

The man may have a hard exterior, but Cas had seen his soft side. And that soft side was Cas’s personal heaven. He would love to live in those moments when Dean’s genuine smile broke through, when he poured his heart and soul into protecting the people he cared about. 

Like a warm cocoon, these happy memories surrounded Cas as he drifted off. He dreamed about falling asleep in Dean’s arms. 

Meanwhile, a few feet away, Dean lay in bed, staring at the wall. He was determined not to let the same cycle of thoughts run their way through his head. There was no way the celestial wavelength of whatever who was currently asleep across the room would ever love him back in the painfully human way he needed. Cas may be a little more human these days, but he would never lower himself further. 

Some small section of Dean’s brain rebelled against that thought. The same part of his brain that told him he could stop hunting anytime and settle down. The same part that wanted to tell Chuck to fuck off and pick up Cas like a newlywed bride and carry him into a domestic life. 

That part of his brain really needed to shut up if he was going to get any sleep. He shoved the thoughts into the farthest corner of his brain. But his unconsciousness slipped out of his grip, and he dreamt of a place far away where he and Cas could live out the rest of their natural human lives. 

The next morning, Dean woke up to find that Cas was gone. The sight of the angel’s empty bed gave him a hollow feeling in his chest. Still half asleep, he touched the sheets of the empty bed, finding that they were cold. Cas had been gone for a while. Sighing, he supposed that maybe the angel had decided to return the favor of getting coffee. 

But when he opened his duffel bag to get dressed, most of his clothes were missing. “What the hell?”

He said quietly to himself. 

After his initial surprise, Dean shrugged and climbed back into bed. Might as well get a few more minutes of sleep while Cas was doing whatever. He cranked up the cheap air conditioner and cocooned himself in the thick blanket. Slowly, he drifted off. 

An hour later he was woken up by a pile of warm laundry being dropped on his head.

“Ugh! Is that what you were doing with my stuff, Cas?”

“You were starting to smell.”

“Thanks bud.” Dean said as he sat up, dislodging the small pile of warm clothes. 

“I washed my stuff too.” Cas shrugged. “They were all due for a wash.” He sits down on Dean’s bed and begins sorting through the laundry. 

Dean tossed back the blanket and began to help. “No coffee though?”

“No.”

“Great.” He shook his head, but the truth was, he wasn’t that angry. Sitting here, doing something as simple as folding warm laundry alongside Cas, made him happier than he would care to admit. 

“Dean, when we go back to the bunker after this hunt, what are you going to say to Jack?” 

“We’re going to talk about this now?”

“Were you just going to put it off forever?” 

Dean sighs. “I’m going to tell him that I forgive him. Not because I feel like I have to, but because I sincerely do.”

“Really? Then why did you run away?”

“I needed some time.”

“You could have just told me that instead of disappearing. I was so worried.”

“Why? You’re always leaving us?” The second the words left Dean’s mouth her regretted them. But Cas only paused for a moment, before responding. 

“I may have left, but it was because you didn’t want me there. And you didn’t stop me from leaving.” 

“I was an idiot Cas. I shouldn’t have pushed you away.”

“You were an idiot.” Cas finished folding his laundry, and stodd to place it back in his bag. Somehow he had managed to fold each piece with perfect pressed creases. Dean gave up on finishing his laundry and stuffed it back into his duffel haphazardly. 

“We should probably get going. I don’t know how much longer I can go without my coffee.” Dean said, grinning at Cas. 

The last stretch of the drive was much more cheerful. The weather in Georgia was wonderful, and Dean left the windows rolled down to enjoy the breeze. He and Cas chatted the whole way about anything and everything. Cas spent a whole hour talking about bees and their importance to the earth’s environment. It was getting close to sunset by the time they arrived at the hotel in Florida. 

“A hotel? How fancy Dean.” Cas commented. 

“Yeah well this is a tourist town, there aren’t many cheap motels in the area.”

“I wonder if there’s a pool.”

“There is, I checked. Why? Do you want to go for a swim?” 

Cas shrugged. “I’ve never been on a ‘tropical’ vacation before, Dean. It sounds fun.” 

“Then it's a good thing I bought a couple pairs of swim trunks. We can swim tonight, figure out the case tomorrow morning, then maybe hit the beach.” 

Their hotel room was oddly spacious, with two queen beds, a pullout couch and a sizable flatscreen tv. The kitchen even felt larger than what they were used to. Dean unpacked two pairs of swim trunks, tossing the ones with a pineapple pattern to Cas. “Pineapples?”

Dean holds up his trunks, which have a coconut tree pattern. “Together we’re almost a whole pina colada.” 

Cas rolls his eyes as Dean chuckles at his own joke. “Hilarious.” 

There’s something strangely magical about a hotel pool at night. The lights under the water cutting through the dark, and an annoyingly loud radio playing a peppy tune that completely contradicts the atmosphere. 

The lyrics of this particular song echo around the pool deck as Dean watches Cas with amusement. 

_ Oh angels sent from up above _

_ You know you make my world light up _

_ When I was down, when I was hurt _

__

_ You came to lift me up _

Cas tentatively climbs down the steps and into the lukewarm water, staring in disgust at the layer of dead bugs and leaves floating on the surface. 

“I’m starting to regret this.” He says, waist deep, with his arms still held carefully above the water. 

“Don’t tell me the celestial being is grossed out by a few bugs.” Dean says as he wades over to meet him. 

“I do not get grossed out. I am simply worried for my health.” 

“Aw a little pool water never hurt anyone.” Dean tackles Cas, wrapping his arms around his waist and shoving him into the deep end. He may have held on just a moment longer than needed, before finally releasing the belligerent angel. 

Cas pops back up, sputtering. “Dean!” 

But Dean is already paddling away. “Catch me if you can, old man!” 

“Unlike you, I am not as mature as a four year old.” 

“Chicken.” 

“Fine.” Cas swam at a frightening fast speed, catching up to Dean with ease. He grips Dean by the shoulders and dunks him. This leads into an all out wrestling match, complete with gasping and wheezing as the two parties try not to drown. 

_ Drink from me, drink from me _

_ When I was so thirsty _

_ We’re on a symphony  _

When they finally break apart, they sit side by side on the edge of the pool, panting. 

“You’re right, I am getting way too old for this sort of thing.” Dean says. 

“Not as old as me.” Cas stares up at the cloudy sky, his gaze distant. 

“Thinking about heaven?” 

“No, I don’t miss it enough to spend time thinking of it.”

“What do you miss?” 

“Sometimes I miss flying.”

“After being stuck in the car with me, i can believe that.” 

“I don’t mind your company. I just miss feeling like the world is small and manageable. Without my wings, everything feels so much larger.” 

Dean looked over at Cas. He looked so tired and forlorn. Dean wished he could wrap one arm around Cas and let him rest his head on his shoulder. But instead he said, “It’s getting late, we should head back to the room.” 

The tinny radio faded into the distance as they left the pool deck. 

_ Put your wings on me, wings on me _

_ When I was so heavy  _

_ We’re on a symphony  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song used: Hymn For The Weekend by Coldplay
> 
> Next chapter will be the last!


	5. Take your time, take control

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> To recap: Dean and Cas have reached their destination. All that's left is to investigate the campsite and go to the beach.

The employee who greeted Dean and Cas at the camp office looked simultaneously fresh out of college and wizened and world-weary. She was clearly working at this job because she liked it, but seeing as they were in the height of tourist season, her eyes had bruise-like bags, and she moved like she was in a haze. The pair shared a look as they stepped into the office. 

“Com in, come in. You two are here about our little ‘monster’ problem right.” She sat down heavily and knocked back what looked like an entire mug of coffee. 

“Yeah, we’re here to investigate.” Replied Dean. Cas simply stared into the glassy eyes of the mounted alligator head behind her desk. 

“Good. Hopefully you two can give some official report to the local news, letting everyone know that the problem is taken care of.” 

“Do you have any idea what has been causing the disturbances?” 

“Probably an armadillo. The guests always freak out when they see them, they don’t expect to see them in Florida.” 

“Right. Well why don’t you show us to the affected area?” He elbows Cas to get his attention. 

“Yes, we should start there.” Cas concurred. 

She stood up again and whisked out the door, gesturing for them to follow. 

The campground was full of life, with little kids running every which way, followed by their strolling parents. Colorful banners and unlit strings of LED lights strung up between trees and along trailers and RVs. The employee led them down the center of the campground, walking from one end to the other. 

Then she led them down a trail off of the campground, a narrow and twisty path with roots sticking out of the ground ready to trip them up. It was clearly one of the less used paths, with untrimmed undergrowth reaching across the sandy trail. Apparently the site of the incident was quite far from the campground, because the employee led them further and further down the trail. 

Dean pulled at his collar, he hadn’t expected to get some exercise done in his FBI suit. The unflappable Castiel was also looking uncomfortable, his fluffy hair beginning to droop and stick to his forehead. Dean had to practically turn around to catch a glimpse of his companion, and he faced forward as soon as possible to avoid getting caught. 

Cas, meanwhile, stared intensely at an innocuous space between Dean’s shoulder blades. He would not allow his gaze to fall any lower, lest he get caught staring. When Dean glanced at him, he pretended to be looking at an interesting bird in the distant forest. At least he had the oppressively hot atmosphere to distract him. 

Finally, the employee stopped and gestured into the forest nearby. “Here ya go. Have fun.” She then squeezed past the two men and speed walked back towards the campground. 

“Right, let’s look around I guess.” Dean said, squinting into the forest. 

“Right.” Cas replied. 

The pair spent all of twenty minutes investigating the patch of forest. But there was no evidence, no signs at all of paranormal activity. With a sigh, Dean turned to Cas and announced that they should give up. This was just an excuse for a vacation after all. In no time at all, they were leaving the campground and driving towards the beach. 

* * *

After swapping out their FBI outfits for casual clothes, they planned to spend the day on the beachside, exploring the wonders of cheap souvenirs and seafood. There was just one issue, Dean only had one pair of shorts. And not only were they jorts, they were cut-off dad jorts. Not only that, but he had paired them with an oversized hawaiian shirt, with the first few buttons undone. If he had been wearing sunglasses, it would complete his whole beach dad persona. 

Cas stared at him as only a fashion forward angel can. No I’m kidding, Cas wasn’t much better. One worn out t-shirt borrowed from Dean and some running shorts from a local store did not give him any more points than Dean. But while Cas looked lazy, Dean looked downright flamboyant. 

“When did you buy that shirt?” Asked the disapproving angel. 

“That’s my business, let’s hit the beach already.” Dean said, turning to walk back towards the car. He tried and failed to hide the creeping blush making its way across his face. He couldn’t help it, seeing as Cas had never shown so much leg. They were, of course, untanned legs, and that would need to be fixed. Nevertheless, Dean felt like a repressed victorian noble spotting a glimpse of a lady’s ankle. 

The beach turned out to be much more crowded than expected. There were also a lot more elderly couples than Dean had thought there would be. Somehow he had dreamt up a wonderland full of beach babes. But he shook it off, Cas would have to do. They strolled side by side, inhaling the scent of fried seafood and salty air.

Eventually, they reached an open concrete space by the shore, where a group of teens seemed to be putting on some type of show. Several speakers arranged around them blasted music. Cas and Dean stopped to listen and watch as the next song began. 

One teen seemed to be playing the leading man, and was serenading the leading lady. The song began: 

_ I, I am a god _

_ Thrust upon the world _

_ Thrust upon a world so hollow _

_ And you, you are the sea _

_ Rising like a wave _

_ Riding like a wave over me _

The poetic lyrics were muffled slightly by the rushing waves in the background. The teen actor continued to lip sync with the most impassioned expression, overacting to the extreme. But Dean pushed down his laughter, they were trying their best. 

_ Oh love, what do we do? _

_ We never wanna stay 'cause we never wanna lose _

_ Oh love, where do we run? _

_ We always gotta go at the sound of the gun _

Cas looked quietly at Dean, who seemed genuinely interested in the performance. In fact, he could see the man nodding along slightly to the beat. This ridiculous man in his hawaiian shirt who refused to listen to anything but classic rock, seemed touched by an amatuer beachside performance. 

Something ached deep inside of Cas, like a hollow void calling out to the brilliant light in the distance. Dean was the sun, shining brightly enough to reflect off of Cas like the moon, bathing him in his warmth. And maybe in turn, Cas could be the wave rising up to embrace him. Those song lyrics might be relevant after all. 

Cas drew in a breath to say something anything, to break the seal that protected his heart and give in to Dean’s warmth. But Dean beat him to it. “C’mon, let’s go find something to eat.” 

“Of course. I saw a place that looked good, why don’t we try there?” 

“I trust your judgement.” Dean said without a trace of irony. Then he strutted off in the direction Cas indicated, his flip-flops slapping ridiculously. 

* * *

When the sun finally began to set in a dramatic display over the horizon, Dean felt like he should say something. It felt like such a perfect moment for a romantic speech, or a declaration of love. As much as he hated to admit it, he watched a lot of romance movies. And as he stood there watching the orange rays light up Cas’s face, he wanted to reach out, if not literally than metaphorically. 

But the words died on his tongue and he settled for taking a selfie with Cas to send back to Sam. He secretly relished the moment when he got to throw his arm around Cas’s shoulder and pull him in tight for the picture. It just felt right, to be connected so simply by the most basic touch. But he had to maintain appearances, and let go almost immediately. 

It was a quiet ride back to the hotel. When they finally arrived, Cas walked in and felt deflated. Somehow today was both the best thing that had ever happened between the two of them, and also extremely disappointing. He sat down heavily on the edge of his bed and Dean turned on the tv. It seemed like it would be another slow night. 

Then he tv shut off. Dean sprang up to fiddle with it, but the speakers still seemed to be working. They played a song very faintly, and he pressed his ear to them to hear better. A familiar tune greeted him. 

_ Oh you, you are the dawn _

_ Screaming through the dark _

_ Screaming through the dark and silent night _

_ And I, I am the one _

_ Waiting in the wings _

It was the same song from the beach. Confused, he stepped away and turned to Cas. “Hey, something’s up with this thing, I’m going to call the front desk.”

“Alright, I guess we’ll just have to go without it.”

“Yeah I-” He was cut off by a blinding flash of light that filled the room. “What the he-” 

He stopped as the light disappeared, and was replaced by a fine pink mist. The mist condensed into a human-like figure with glowing white eyes. “Hello.” it said. 

“What the hell?” Dean repeated. “Who are you? What do you want?” 

“For now, I want you to be quiet, I have something to say.” It replied. Dean looked at Cas. 

“We should hear it out. It might not be malicious.” 

“Fine, we’ll listen.” Dean sat down grumpily next to Cas on the bed. 

“I am a muse, a supernatural entity that guides creative souls through their inventions. My particular area of expertise is love ballads. I have been known to assist with the matchmaking of many couples throughout history. Recently I was asked by The Darkness herself for a favor. She said that one human and one earth-bound angel had been dancing around each other for far too long, and she wanted me to give them a nudge in the right direction.” Dean drew breath to interrupt, but the entity shushed him and continued. “ I have been trying for days now to use my power over love songs to give you the push you need. But apparently you both are so oblivious to the other’s interest that I needed to take drastic measures. So I’ll say it outright, you two are in love, now shut up and deal with it.” 

With one more dramatic flash, the entity disappeared, leaving behind the scent of cotton candy and the song still playing softly from the tv. Something in the mist must have been affecting Dean, because he started laughing out of nowhere. Cas joined in, the delirium taking over. 

“It really is that simple isn’t it?” Cas managed to choke out in between laughs. 

“Yeah, it really is.” Dean replied, before turning to face him. “Can I kiss you then” 

“Absolutely.” Cas whispered before practically pouncing onto Dean. 

They were soon entangled in a giggly knot, only pausing to plant cotton candy flavored kisses on each other. 

And the music played. 

_ Take your time, take control _

_ Take your heart, take your soul _

_ Take your love, take your life _

_ Take my hand, take tonight _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song used: Take Tonight by The Family Crest

**Author's Note:**

> Song lyrics are from I Go Crazy by Orla Gartland.


End file.
